(1) State public and local government public servants who are prohibited by law from disclosing state or business secrets or other confidential information which become known to them due to their position shall not be heard in court as witnesses with regard to such information.

(2) The following shall not be heard as witnesses without the permission of the person in whose interests the duty to maintain confidentiality is imposed:

1) representatives in civil matters or criminal defence counsel in criminal matters, with regard to facts which have become known to them in the performance of their duties;

2) doctors or other employees of medical institutions, with regard to facts which a patient has confided to them, unless otherwise provided by law.

(3) A court may refuse to hear as a witness a person of up to 15 years of age or a person who due to a physical or mental disability is unable to comprehend the facts relevant to the matter properly or to give truthful testimony with regard thereto.

(4) A minister of religion shall not be heard as a witness with regard to matters confided to him or her.

(5) A person shall not be heard as a witness if the law prohibits the hearing of such person in a civil proceeding.

(1) The provisions concerning the correction of court errors (Chapter 48) also apply to decisions which entered into force before 1 September 1998.

(2) The correction of court errors in decisions which entered into force before 15 September 1993 may be requested, in addition to by the persons specified in § 72 of this Code, by other participants in the proceeding.